Issues and SWOT: Gravesham

strength

Support residents after the SoloHaus handover

The council has received eight completed homes for single residents.

The next test is whether residents can sustain a settled home.

Evidence

strength

Make room for homes people can afford

Average private rent is £1,336 a month (August 2026) in Gravesham council area. This is £123 lower than the England average for the same month. Homes rented privately ranged from 7.3% in Higham & Shorne to 43.2% in Town — a gap of 35.9 percentage points.

Housing costs matter most alongside earnings and the number of affordable homes available. A local average cannot tell us whether a particular household can afford its home.

strength

Bring support closer to people in poor health

4.8% of people reported bad or very bad health in Gravesham council area (21 March 2021). Across England, the figure was 5.2%. People reporting bad or very bad health ranged from 3.9% in Meopham North to 6.4% in Westcourt — a gap of 2.5 percentage points.

This is how residents described their health in the census. It can reveal differences between neighbourhoods, but does not diagnose illness or measure current waiting times. Age profiles differ between places, so these shares do not measure service quality.

weakness

Keep construction forecasts separate from available homes

St Columba’s Close remains listed as under construction.

People waiting for housing need realistic availability information.

Evidence

opportunity

Match Milton Place’s homes to different needs

The scheme mixes affordable rent, supported living and private sale.

The total alone cannot show what it offers households seeking council housing.

Evidence

opportunity

Plan homes and care around an older population

17.2% of people in Gravesham council area were aged 65 or over (21 March 2021). People aged 65 or over ranged from 8.1% in Denton to 30.2% in Istead Rise, Cobham & Luddesdown — a gap of 22.1 percentage points.

Age alone does not mean poor health or a need for care. Accessible homes, reliable transport and support close to home matter as people get older.

opportunity

Connect local skills to local opportunities

26.7% of people aged 16 or over had a degree or equivalent (21 March 2021) in Gravesham council area. Across England, the figure was 33.9%. People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 14.3% in Meopham South & Vigo to 24.5% in Town — a gap of 10.2 percentage points.

Qualifications show one part of the skills available locally. They do not show whether people have secure jobs or work that uses those skills.

opportunity

Target safety work where problems repeat

Mapped police records are available for neighbourhoods in Gravesham council area.

Published locations are approximate and some crimes are not mapped. Counts show recorded incidents, not the chance of an individual becoming a victim.

opportunity

Turn published plans into visible progress

4 named local projects or plans have official evidence in this collection.

A published plan makes responsibilities and intentions easier to inspect. It does not prove that funding is secured or that promised benefits have arrived.

opportunity

Target support where disadvantages overlap

Households facing two or more measured disadvantages ranged from 10% in Meopham South & Vigo to 28.9% in Westcourt — a gap of 18.9 percentage points.

These households met at least two census conditions covering education, employment, health and housing. This is not an income or poverty measure.

threat

Protect everyday access while Cascades is rebuilt

The preparation programme changes parking, pedestrian routes and the nearby bus stop.

Existing users may find visits harder during construction.

Evidence